Kentucky’s preseason tune-up is finally here, and Big Blue Nation won’t have to wait long to get a first real read on Mark Pope’s second Wildcats team.
UK has three exhibition games lined up at Rupp Arena before the regular season begins in early November, giving fans a chance to see how the roster comes together against outside competition. The middle game, a matchup with Texas Tech, stands out as the most intriguing test on the schedule, but the bigger storyline is how the group meshes overall.
That starts with the return of homegrown talent Malachi Moreno and extends to a transfer-heavy mix that includes Milan Momcilovic of Iowa State, Zoom Diallo of Washington and Alex Wilkins of Furman, plus international big man Ousmane N’Diaye. Those newcomers will be a major part of the conversation as Kentucky takes its first steps into preseason play.
The Wildcats were picked seventh in the SEC preseason coaches poll, a spot that frames them as a team in the NCAA Tournament picture but not yet among the league’s elite. That perception will have plenty of time to shift, but October will offer the first on-court snapshot of what this group can become.
Fans can watch all three exhibitions. The first two will stream on SEC Network+, available through the ESPN app. The finale against UCF will air on SEC Network and can also be streamed through Fubo.
Kentucky’s exhibition schedule:
- Friday, Oct. 16 vs.
Little Rock, 7 p.m. ET - SECN+
- Friday, Oct. 23 vs. Texas Tech, 7 p.m.
ET - SECN+
- Wednesday, Oct. 28 vs.
UCF, 6 p.m. ET - SECN, ESPN app, Fubo
After the exhibitions, Kentucky opens the regular season at home against Manhattan on Tuesday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. ET at Rupp Arena in Lexington.
The Wildcats’ first five regular-season games are:
- Nov. 3 vs.
Manhattan, 7 p.m.
- Nov. 6 vs.
James Madison, 7 p.m.
- Nov. 10 vs.
Kansas*, 9:30 p.m.
- Nov. 13 vs.
Northern Arizona, 7 p.m.
- Nov. 16 vs.
Grambling State, 7 p.m.
In Other News...
UCF Showed Promise But One Late Issue Still Looks Costly
UCF got a useful early test Monday night in Baton Rouge, pushing LSU deep into the closing moments before falling 85-81 in an exhibition game at Maravich Assembly Center. Dior Johnson led the Knights with 18 points, and the effort suggested there is real scoring punch in the group as it settles in ahead of the season.
Still, the final minute showed how thin the margin can be against a team with LSUs shot-making. The Tigers leaned on Abdi Bashirs 26 points and got just enough down the stretch to escape, leaving UCF with encouraging signs to build on and one late-game problem that could linger if it shows up again when the games count. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Already Has An Early Rotation Problem Fans Will Notice
Exhibition season has a way of surfacing issues before they become problems, and Auburn got a glimpse of that against Florida State in one of the days four college basketball tuneups. The slate also included UT-Martin against Northern Kentucky, St. Johns against Drexel and LSU against UCF, with several newcomers across the sport making immediate impressions as teams tested lineups and roles ahead of the real thing.
For Auburn, the takeaway was less about the final numbers and more about how early rotations can already start to narrow. Around the country, other schools were already seeing new faces tilt the action in useful ways, which is why the Tigers own exhibition look matters now as much as it does later. The gap between a promising preseason run and a workable regular-season rotation can close quickly, and Auburns first preview offered an early hint that not every spot is settled yet. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Showed Enough At LSU To Spark One Big Debate
UCF left Baton Rouge with an 85-81 exhibition loss to LSU, but the result did not feel like the whole story. The Knights spent much of the night trading punches in a game with multiple lead changes, and several players turned in strong showings that gave the staff plenty to sort through before the games start counting.
Dior Johnson was at the center of it, leading UCF with 18 points in a performance that hinted at how dangerous this group can look when it finds a rhythm. The Knights still have one more preseason test at Kentucky on Oct. 28 before opening the regular season Nov. 2 against Florida Gulf Coast, and the bigger question now is how much of what they showed in an exhibition setting can carry over once the calendar flips. [Read more 🡒]